Niles LASIK – What to Expect After LASIK?

Taylor Swift got laser eye surgery!

LASIK is a popular way to escape the inconvenience of wearing prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. To get a better idea of what to expect from laser eye surgery, just ask Taylor Swift – she recently underwent this life-changing procedure. Or, read the following information that our eye clinic has to share about LASIK:

Is LASIK always successful?

Although there are no guarantees, laser eye surgery has an impressive success rate. A review of 97 studies showed that 99.5% of people who had LASIK went on to enjoy visual acuity better than 20/40, as published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. However, some people still have to wear glasses or contact lenses occasionally after laser eye surgery.

Certain factors affect whether LASIK is more or less successful:

The skill and experience of your eye surgeon

Your vision prescription; laser eye surgery is best at correcting low to moderate prescriptions (up to +6 diopters for farsightedness, up to 6 diopters of astigmatism (cylinder), and up to -12 diopters of nearsightedness)

Good ocular health and good overall health

Eye maturity – a stable vision prescription

What’s the recovery from LASIK?

Although laser eye surgery is done pretty quickly – taking about 30 minutes start-to-finish, the recovery is a bit longer than that. You may need to take painkillers immediately after the procedure to reduce discomfort. Many people also experience itching, burning, or the sensation that something is stuck in the eye.

Your eye clinic may provide you with a prescription for eye drops to moisturize your eyes and prevent infection. In addition, you may be given eye shields to wear while your eyes heal – like Taylor Swift was sporting in post-LASIK videos that her mom shared with the world! Eye shields will help you from accidentally rubbing your eyes before the cornea has a chance to heal. In fact, FDA guidelines recommend wearing an eye shield at night until about a month after LASIK.

Other recommendations for recovery include:

Don’t partake in any non-contact sports for the first few days after laser eye surgery

Wait about 2 weeks before applying lotion (including sunscreen) or make-up on or around your eyes

Sit on the sidelines instead of joining any contact sports games, which put you at risk of getting poked in the eye

Are there side effects from LASIK?

Some people will experience dry eyes or double vision, or they’ll see halos and starbursts around lights for a long time after the surgery. Also, you may have fluctuating or blurry vision and increased light sensitivity. But these symptoms are generally short-lived.

Is LASIK for you?

That’s a question to be answered after consultation and eye exam at an eye clinic near you. Book an appointment with our eye doctor to discuss your candidacy for laser eye surgery.